Kylie Jenner has been busy launching three new Kylie Cosmetics merchandise this week, however earlier than her Silver Collection make-up brush set even turned obtainable, followers took to social media to precise their dismay on the $360 price ticket. Within the face of the backlash, Kylie took to Twitter to defend the price of “essentially the most wonderful luxurious brushes ever,” citing the truth that they’re “actual brushes.” In comparison with their artificial counterparts, she stated these supply “totally different efficiency/high quality/all the pieces.”

However is that really the case? What’s the distinction between actual and artificial brushes anyway? We talked to some specialists to get the entire particulars.

What’s the distinction in materials between pure and artificial brushes?

All of it comes all the way down to the bristles. “The distinction between actual and artificial make-up brushes is the supply from which the sure fibers of the comb head are made,” movie star make-up artist Bob Scott tells Teen Vogue. “Actual or pure brush fibers are created from varied animal furs and hairs. Synthetic brush fibers are created from nylon and different plastics.”

Synthetic brushes, then again, “are made from melted and spun plastics, like nylon and different plastics polymers,” he notes.

To get much more particular, make-up artist Beau Nelson, who counts Kristen Stewart amongst his celeb purchasers, additional explains that “most artificial brushes are made from Taklon Nylon, which is an extruded fiber designed to imitate hair form.”

That has to do with really getting the supplies for the brushes and then placing them collectively. “Actual brushes are typically dearer as a result of sourcing good (smooth, uniform measurement, uniform coloration) pure fibers itself is dear,” Bob says. “With restrictions on fur harvesting and distinguishing the proper of fibers for the proper of brush, costs can go up actually quick as you search for higher and higher natural-fiber brushes.”

After which there’s the way in which the brushes are literally manufactured as soon as the supplies are gathered. “Actual brushes are sometimes handcrafted, hand tied, and hand bunched,” Beau says. “There may be a variety of labor concerned, thus they’re dearer than synthetics.”

Is there actually a distinction in how they really feel?

That will depend on the comb — and the one who’s utilizing it. Daniel Martin, a make-up artist whose purchasers embrace Jessica Alba and Elisabeth Moss, tells Teen Vogue that he can really feel the distinction, “particularly with regards to eye brushes, since that space of the face is extra delicate.”

However Bob notes that the “layperson, with their eyes closed” might not really be capable of detect a distinction on their pores and skin in the event that they’re coping with a very good artificial.

Beau credit the latest enhancements in artificial brushes. “The expertise in artificial brush fibers have been advancing shortly prior to now 5 years; now many corporations are providing artificial fibers which can be really formed like virgin hair — which has a sharp finish versus a blunt, straight minimize — and the sensation is far nicer than it ever has been earlier than,” he says. “Synthetic brushes now mimic most hair feels moreover the softest hairs, like blue squirrel and sable.” And sure corporations have even been tackling that area these days — Actual Methods’ PowderBleu brush line, which is particularly designed to mimic blue squirrel hair, launched earlier this 12 months.

What about how they work?

Beau says he makes use of largely artificial brushes now as a result of these developments make it in order that there’s “little or no distinction in how they apply make-up.” In reality, he says, artificial brushes may be advantageous in sure methods, like with regards to upkeep. “In addition they don’t injury the way in which pure hair ones do over time as they’re washed over and over once more,” he says. “Synthetic brushes will also be sanitized with alcohol with out drying the hairs, which is one other profit over natural-hair brushes.”

He does level out, although, that many make-up artists say there is a distinction between how pure and artificial brushes work and use them for particular functions primarily based on that distinction.

Daniel, for instance, says he tends to make use of artificial brushes with cream and liquid make-up and pure brushes with powders. “Talc primarily based merchandise get higher decide up with pure fibers as a result of its so superb and, like hair, the pure bristles are extra porous,” he says. “Synthetics don’t have a cuticle so it tends to be higher with lotions and liquids as a result of there’s no absorption.”

Bob’s preferences are comparable: He says he usually makes use of artificial brushes when he wants a “denser software” of the make-up, and pure brushes when he wants a smoother, extra blendable software. “Once I’m making use of gel or oil primarily based merchandise (often smaller, firmer element brushes for eyes or lips), when I’m working with a product that wants extra of a push to mix (cream or full protection foundations and massive domed ‘airbrush impact’ brushes); I are inclined to want artificial brushes for his or her dense and even software and as a result of they final higher after washing these merchandise out,” he says. “Once I use natural-fiber brushes, I’m sometimes diffusing powder or smooth cream shadows, blush, or very frivolously mixing concealer with reasonably densely sure hairs in flat or dome formed brushes.”

He does suggest having artificial brushes in your roll regardless, “so that you’ve brushes which can be simple to scrub and keep with out worrying about shedding, to have brushes that can be utilized with extra artist-specific merchandise (greasepaints, waterproof gels) and not have to fret about damaging a really costly natural-fiber brush.”

However is animal cruelty a priority with pure brushes?

Many individuals say it’s and that utilizing actual hair is merciless to animals. PETA has taken a robust stance in opposition to actual make-up brushes, stating on its web site that animals are tortured and slaughtered for his or her hair or fur, together with that which is utilized in make-up brushes.

Some corporations, nonetheless, keep that their pure brushes are sourced in a humane method. For instance, Zoeva Cosmetics states on its web site, “The pure hairs of Zoeva brushes are collected from goat hair, which is gently combed or shaved. No animals are harmed throughout this course of.” BareMinerals additionally asserts that “no animals are harmed within the course of of creating our brushes,” however that they do promote artificial brushes for individuals who wish to keep away from actual hair.

For his half, Bob — who makes use of a mix of actual and artificial brushes — says actual brushes merely aren’t animal-friendly. “The animal that when wore the fur in that brush would most likely have been very completely satisfied not being farm-raised, slaughtered, and harvested,” he says. “It is vitally possible that the animal that was farmed for fur was farmed solely for its fur, so take into account the waste that goes together with that. There are corporations and organizations that do farm their animals humanely and make efforts to attenuate waste, however should you can’t rationalize consuming meat, then it is best to rethink utilizing natural-fiber brushes.”

So what ought to I exploit?

“I wouldn’t say it’s essential to make use of pure brushes for the sake of utilizing pure brushes,” Bob says. “However as an artist, I would like to make use of a brush that can give me the payoff that I would like and typically solely a natural-fiber brush will match the invoice.”

That stated, he additionally factors out you can definitely discover artificial brushes that do the job simply as nicely. Should you don’t wish to spend the cash for a pure set, or wish to keep away from the usage of actual animal hair, you shouldn’t have an issue discovering one thing that works for you. “There are many choices when in search of an alternative choice to natural-fiber brushes,” Bob says. “And it might most likely be very simple to wean your self off the concept a pure brush is the one brush that can work, or the one brush that may be luxurious.”

As Beau stresses, “typically corporations make artificial brushes which can be so shut (and coloured to appear to be) pure hair that they don’t even know the distinction.”

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5 Comments

I thoroughly enjoyed this blog post. Personally, as a basic make-up user I couldn’t imagine myself paying $360 for make-up brushes. But I am considering the benefits of trying at least one natural make-up brush to see how it feels.

Thank you for telling us the difference between brushes. I must say, your blog is
AMAZING. Very nicely laid out. How long have you had this blog? I can tell you like to write just like I do, and that’s cool. Keep up the great work!